Ah, ice pops. As integral to a Seventies childhood as Spangles, Sindy dolls and the get-busy-with-the-fizzy Soda Stream (not that we had one, but how I coveted my friend Katherine’s …).
Back on topic. Nonstopmama of three and founder of Lillipops Iced Soothies, Denise Soden came up with the idea for her new, grab-them-from-the-freezer pregnancy treats whilst expecting her daughter Lilly (hence their name). To help her stay hydrated, Denise made ice pops at home, using natural ingredients, and found that flavours like lemon, ginger and mint alleviated her morning sickness, too.
From kitchen to freezer cabinet, not much has changed: Lillipops are naturally flavoured (Lemon & Mint, Grapefruit & Tangerine, Ginger, Lime & Vanilla, Camomile & Orange) and free from artificial colours and flavours.
Nonstopmama asked Denise to share some of her tips for keeping cool during pregnancy:
* Have a cool bath. You can shower, but my skin was very itchy and dry during my pregnancies, so I preferred to bathe. I added Oilatum to the bath water, to help moisturise my skin at the same time.
* I used to crunch ice cubes and lollies. I’m not sure my dentist would necessarily approve, but it worked. It helped me to cool down, keep food down and to hydrate me.
* Put ice cubes into a flannel and rest them on the back of your neck. This will not only cool you down but help to cool your head, too, which is restful.
• Bathe your feet in cool water. As well as cooling you down, it will help ease the swelling that invariably gets worse in hot weather. Here, you can multi-task: run some warm water in a washing-up bowl, add some epsom salts – great for softening the skin on your feet and toes – and add cool water before popping your feet in. If you pad around in bare feet, this will help clean them up, too.
* Finally, loose clothing. The best thing I lived in were my husband Matt’s t-shirts and boxer shorts, as they fitted over my bump perfectly. Not that I’m suggesting my husband is fat! …
Available in multi-packs (£6.95 for 20), you can buy Lillpops online from the website – which features updated pregnancy tips and info, too – and selected chemists. Frankly, we don’t think you need to have a bump to indulge …
